Elevator safety device.



No. 890,797. PATENTBD JUNE 16, 1908.

G. B. RICE.

ELEVATOR SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1906. 3 B s sH 1- Zizvenfor, George 25. Race1/ lnessss:

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No. 890,797. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908. G. B. RICE. ELEVATOR SAFETY EEvmE.

APPLICATION TILED JUNE 4, 1906 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908. G. B. RIGB.

ELEVATOR SAFETY DEVICE. APPLIOA'TION FILED JUNE 4, 1900.

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GEORGE B. RICE, OF SEWIGKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

EIFEVA'ITOB. SAFETY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1908.

Application filed June 4, 1906. Serial No. 319,982.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. RICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElevator Safety Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in safety devices for elevatorcars, and embodofparts hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1represents a broken front elevation of an elevator-shaft with a cararranged to travel therein in the customary manner. Fig. 2 is asectional plan view on line 11 of Fig. 3, showing an electro-mechanicalappliance forming part of the invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofsame partlyinsection on Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line IV-IV ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of a circuit-breaker and meansfor actuating the same. Fig. *6 is a cross-section of the same on lineVI-VI of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a broken side elevation of a speed-governorforming part of the inven tion. Fig. 8 is a central section of the same,on line VlIlVllI of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a diagram of an electric circuitemployed in carrying out the invention.

1 designates the elevator shaft provided at its sides with the customaryguide-strips 2. 3 designates the cararranged to traverse the shaft,which latter is closed at each landing by the customary grille 4 andslidingdoor 5.

6 designates a bracket fixed to the inner side of the door in the shaftand provided with a beveled end 7 adapted to actuate a circuit-breakerfixed to the front wall of the car. Said circuit-breaker consists of alever 8 fulcrumed upon a pin 9 and having one end normally held inengagement with a contact point 10 by its opposite resilient end 11.

Contact point 10 and the resilient end 11 are I fixed to non-conductingmaterial 12 secured to the front wall of the car. Lever 8 is providedwith a knob of nonconducting material 13 which is engaged by bracket 6when the door in the shaft is opened, and forced towards the wall of thecar until the end of lever 8' is disengaged from the contact point 10.When the circuit-breaker is thus opened an electrical current passingtherethrough is interrupted and permits two sets of jaws, hereinafterdescribed, to engage the guidestrips 2 with sufiicient force to lock thecar at the landing until the door is closed.- When the latter operationtakes place bracket 6 is drawn out of engagement with knob 13 andpermits resilient end 11 to force the opposite end of the lever intoengagement with contact point 10. This arrangement obviates accidentsdue to assengers leaving or entering the car at landings while the caris in motion.

14 designates a pair of beams fixed to the top of the car, said beamsbeing, preferably, those to which the hoisting cables 15 are attached,but, if desired, special beams can be employed and fixed either to thetop or bottom of the car as convenience may dictate.

16 designates two sets of jaws arranged in pairs at the ends of thebeams, the jaws of each pair being located at the opposite sides of aguide-strip so that they may grip the latter at the proper time and lockthe car from upward or downward movement. Said jaws are fulcrumed uponpins 17 extending through brackets 18 secured to the adjacent sides ofbeams 14, and are actuated through the instrumentality of links 19pivoted at their ends to the rear terminals of the jaws and to theterminals of a pair of oppositelyextending connecting-rods 20, formingtoggles whereby the jaws are simultaneously actuated.

The inner ends 20 of connecting-rods 20 are bifurcated to straddle atransmitting lever 21 to which they are pivotally secured at oppositesides of its fulcrum 22 mounted in a pair of brackets 23 secured to theinner side of one of beams 14. Lever 21 extends through a slot 24 in theopposite beam and is pivotally secured at its outer end to a stem 25integral with the plunger 26 of a solenoid consisting of said plungerand a magnet 27. The magnet of the solenoid is fixed to the adjacentbeam 14 by a pair of collars 28, one of which has a small centralopening 29 in which a guide-pin 30, extending from the adjacent terminalof the plunger, operates. Said guide-pin consists of brass or othernonmagnetic metal to prevent the collar from becoming magnetized by thecurrent passing through thesolenoid. Stem 25 also consists of brass andat the other side of lever 21 it.

- abutment 31 and a washer 34 which latter is :respectively. Rods 52 53extend through guides 54 55- secured tothe adjacent sides of held inenga ement with the spring by a nut 35 adjustab ly engaging the threadedter-" I i lars 56 57 are preferably adjustable so that the 'In practicethe solenoid is normally magsnetized to hold the parts in the positionshown'in Fi 33, but should the-current be interrupted .the spring willimmediately expand and, through the instrumentality of theinterveningmechanism, close the jaws upon the guide-strips minal of the stem.

2 against Y the action of spring withsuflicient power 'to lock the carfrom further movement. spring 33 ismade light 320 T to the solenoid, butits power is compounded "sufiiciently to hold the car, by lever 21,links -19,:"and jaws 16.

36 designates a grooved governor-wheel :mounted upon a shaft 37,acarried at the-upas possible to ofi'er but minimum resistance per endsof a pair of arms 38, pivoted at their ower terminals upon a shaft 39,mounted in *a bracket '40, 'ona transverse plate 41'-se cured tothe'tops of beams 14. Wheel-36is 30 "channel-bars 43 by a retract1tached 'atitsfends to cross-rods .45 46 secured' to arms38 and beams 14,respectively.

helddnengagement withuedge 42 of one of e spring 44 at- 47 designates aplurality of bolts extendingtransversely through the. governor-wheel andprovided at their ends with oppositelydisposed. ivotally-mounted weights'48 49,

. normally eld in the positions shown in'Fig. =7: by expansion-springs50 51 embracing'ro s 5253 loosely connected to weights 48 49,

' the governor-wheel and are embraced by fixed collars 56 57 againstwhich thesprin s '50- 51, respectively, abut, and normally hold themagainst the adjacent guides.

58 designates a bolt extending through a arms; 38 a short: distancebeneath the governor-wheel and providedwith anothercirc11it-breaker-consisting of apair of pivotally rnounted switch-blades59 60,- normally held in engagement with sockets 61 ,secured to arms 38and=insulatedtherefrom by nonconducting material 62 the upper ends ofwhich i =s 'acing-sleeve 63, hold the blades in vertical embrace bolt 58and,.'in conjunction with a a ement with weights :48 49.

Should the car descend with abnormal speed weights48 will'bethrownoutwardly by-centrifugal force against the action of springs 50, so thatone of: them will strike the upper terminal 59 of blade 59and-disconnectthelatter from its socket. Should the ear ascend atabnormal speed weights 49 Ewill be thrown outwardly so. that one of themradius t .by eitherof the switches being disconnected from its socketwill demagnetize the solenoid andpermit spring 33 to set the jaws.Coltension of springs 5051 maybe regulated as desired.

As shown in the diagram, Fig. 9, the solenoid, the-circuitbreakercarried by the car wallyand thecircuit-breaker carried by'the.%OV6IIlOIifI'&IIl6 are arranged in series, they be arranged within thecarin easy=reach of the conductor so as to form still another circuitbreaker by which the car may be instantly stopped-at: any desired point.

Havingthus described my invention-what 1 claim anddesire to secure byLetters-Patent. 1s

1. The combination with an elevator shaft having vertical strips,the-car, spring actuated: jaws thereon for gripping the strips, and adevice-for normally holding saidj aws open; of agovernor wheel carriedby the car and rotated by contact with one, of the strips,

bolts through the wheel, weights pivotally mounted on the opposite endsof each bolt,

.independent springs-holding the-weights of eachpair normally atopposite sides of a radius-through their bolt, two pivoted platesstanding-respectively in the planes of the weights at opposite sides ofthe wheel, and

connections between said device and plates whereby the movement ofeither of the latter will trip the former and permit thesetting of I thegrips.

2. The combination with an elevator shaft having vertical strips, thecar, spring. actuated jaws thereon for grippin the strips, and anelectrical device for norma ly holding said jaws open of a (governorwheel carried by the car. and rotate by contact with one of the otallymounted on the opposite ends of-each bolt, independent springs holdingthe Weights of each airnormally at opposite sides of a lirough theirbolt, circuit breakers standing respectively in the planes of theweights at each side of the wheel, and a circuit including saidelectrical device and both the-circuit breakers in series.

3. The combination with an elevator-shaft strips, bolts through thewheel, weightspivactuating said jaws, and an electrical device fornormally holding said mechanism inoperative; of arms pivoted on the car,a governor wheel j ournaled in their outer ends and rotated by contactwith an upright bar of the shaft, a spring actuating said arms to throwthe wheel into operative position, devices on the wheel movable radiallyunder centrifugal force, a circuit-breaker adapted to be operated by anyof said devices when projected, and a circuit including saidcircuit-breaker and said electrical device.

4. The combination with an elevator shaft having vertical strips, thecar, jaws thereon adapted to grip said strips, mechanism for actuatingsaid jaws, and an electrical device for normallyholding said mechanisminoperative; of a frame pivoted on the car, a governor wheel therein andresting against an upright bar of the shaft, a series of oppositelydisposed weights pivoted in said wheel and adapted to be swung outwardunder centrifugal force, switch plates pivoted on said frame in the pathof said weights when projected, sockets with which said plates normallycontact, and a circuit including said electrical device and both theswitch plates and their sockets in series.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE B. RICE. Witnesses:

F. G. FISCHER, J. MooRE.

